Chamber and committees

In 2022-23 the Marine Fund Scotland (MFS) provided £370,000 to support processing and innovation in the seaweed industry. The MFS for 2023-24 is focused on supporting projects that deliver outcomes relating to Scotland's Blue Economy Vision , published in 2022. The funding supports eligible individuals, businesses, organisations and communities to deliver projects contributing to an innovative and sustainable marine economy, reducing carbon emissions and supporting coastal communities. The outcome of the second round of applications to support the aquaculture industry, including the seaweed sector, will be announced shortly.

The MFS will re-open in due course to new applications for 2024/25.

Additionally, to ensure that the seaweed sector in Scotland develops sustainably, the Scottish Government and Crown Estate Scotland are jointly funding a 3-year business development manager position at the Scottish Seaweed Industry Association to represent the industry across various fora and identify opportunities for growth.

Our Vision for Sustainable Aquaculture sets out the Scottish Government’s long-term aspirations to 2045 for the finfish, shellfish and seaweed farming sectors, and the wider aquaculture supply chain, with the aim of ensuring that aquaculture is sustainable and diverse, and economically viable.

We are committed to improving the efficiency and the coordination of the aquaculture consenting process, while maintaining high environmental standards. We have made progress since Scottish Ministers accepted in principle the findings from the independent review of aquaculture consenting, led by Professor Griggs, and we continue to do so.

As a priority, we established a Consenting Task Group that is focussing its work to identify, pilot and review new measures to streamline the administration of the fish farm consenting processes. This will be subject to an evaluation process and lessons learned may be applicable to processes within other aquaculture sectors, i.e., shellfish and seaweed cultivation.

In addition, Scottish Government has commenced development of a new National Marine Plan, applicable to all sectors and, following the Scottish Government commissioned review of seaweed cultivation, we are funding a Scottish Seaweed Industry Association business development post to consider the sector’s development needs which will help to inform consideration of policy in the longer-term.

I welcome the Just Transition Commission's annual report. It provides a robust assessment, whilst acknowledging the progress we have made on applying a just transition approach.

I appreciate the Commission's calls for urgency and reiterate our commitment to deliver a just transition as part of achieving a fairer, greener, Scotland.

This is particularly important for areas such as Grangemouth, which has a long industrial heritage. Regarding the recent announcement at the Petroineos refinery, I have outlined that the Scottish Government is looking at every possible opportunity and avenue that there might be for extending the life of the refinery which plays an important role in preserving Scotland's fuel security. This would provide time and space for the business to fully explore and bring forward new transition opportunities across Grangemouth, helping to ensure jobs are protected.

We continue to work closely with the operator, the UK Government and our Grangemouth Future Industry Board partners to ensure all options are fully explored.

Fairness is critical in achieving a net-zero transition in Scotland. We must work with industry, workers and communities to combine our economic, social and environmental objectives. That is why we have also committed to developing a specific Just Transition plan for the Grangemouth industrial cluster, with a first draft due to be published in Spring of this year.

Seaweed aquaculture is subject to the requirements of Scotland’s National Marine Plan and is a licensable marine activity under the Marine (Scotland) Act 2010. A marine licence is therefore required for construction of a seaweed farm. The Scottish Government’s Marine Directorate determines marine licence applications on behalf of Scottish Ministers.

Statutory consultees for the marine licensing process are defined in the Marine Licensing (Consultees) (Scotland) Order 2011, and include the Northern Lighthouse Board, Maritime Coastguard Agency, NatureScot, Scottish Environment Protection Agency and, where applicable, the relevant Regional Marine Planning Partnership. A Local Authority may form the whole, or part of a Marine Planning Partnership as per section 12(2) of the Marine (Scotland) Act 2010. Sole delegates are possible, and Orkney Islands Council is the sole delegate for regional marine planning in the Scottish marine region for the Orkney Islands. Local authorities are not therefore statutory consultees, but it is standard process to consult the relevant local authority during the marine licence application determination process and they may be consulted in their remit as part of a marine planning partnership (where applicable).

Prospective applicants for marine licences for certain activities are required to carry out public pre-application consultation under the Marine Licensing (Pre-Application Consultation) (Scotland) Regulations 2013. The pre-application consultation process allows local communities, environmental groups and other interested parties to comment on proposed marine projects before a marine licence application is submitted. The construction of a seaweed farm, where the total area in which the farm is to be located exceeds 1000 square metres, is subject to the statutory pre-application consultation process.

The Scottish Government also encourages any prospective applicants to liaise with local stakeholders early in the project planning stages to make other marine users aware of the proposal.

Overall more trainee doctor posts have filled in 2023 than any other year on record, (data correct as at 25 July 2023). The actual fill rate in recruitment rounds 1 and 2 for Acute Internal Medicine ST4, is 100%. The figure of 75%, published by HEE on 17 June 2023, has been superseded by updated data published by NHS Education for Scotland, on 25 July 2023. We continue to work closely with our partners in NHS Education for Scotland and Health Boards, to consider ways of improving fill rates across all specialities.

Overall more trainee doctor posts have filled in 2023 than any other year on record, (data correct as at 25 July 2023). 97.14% is a very high fill rate for Anaesthetics ST4 in rounds 1 and 2 of 2023 recruitment. Within that context there will always be a small number of posts that will not fill. We continue to work closely with our partners in NHS Education for Scotland and Health Boards, to consider ways of improving fill rates across all specialities.

Based on available evidence, we estimate that the cost of achieving the targets is up to £1.4 billion for the 2027 target, a further £3.7 billion for the 2030 target and a further £1.1 billion for the 2035 target.

Much of this cost will need to be met by the private sector and the Scottish Government is working to introduce a strong policy and regulatory framework to underpin that investment. The extent to which individual projects require public subsidy will vary from project to project. To date, through Scotland’s Heat Network Fund and the Low Carbon Infrastructure Transition Programme, Scottish Government has committed approximately £62.7 million in capital funding for the construction of heat networks. SHNF is a demand-led programme meaning future funding requirements will be dependent on projects with viable business cases and committed co-investors progressing to capital readiness – based on the current pipeline, we expect to allocate around £25mn to projects in 24/25.

NatureScot advise on marine environmental impacts of proposed seaweed farms in relation to protected features and have best practice advice included in their responses. These responses are written on a case-by case basis.

The Scottish Government’s Vision for Sustainable Aquaculture , published in July 2023, sets out our long-term aspirations for the finfish, shellfish and seaweed farming sectors to ensure that development happens in the right places, underpinned by an effective and efficient regulatory framework informed by the best available evidence.

The Scottish Government published the Seaweed Cultivation Policy Statement in 2017 to help facilitate the growth of the sector by setting out policy on the suitability of seaweed cultivation in different scenarios. This provides those wanting to operate in this sector with a better understanding of the type of development that may be given approval.

In response to the recommendations of the independent review of aquaculture which were accepted in principle, I established and chair the Scottish Aquaculture Council (SAC) which was convened in June 2022 as a strategic forum to advise Scottish Ministers. It includes representation from the Scottish Seaweed Industry Association, alongside other key organisations with interests in the aquaculture sector and its environmental, economic and social impacts. The SAC has met on 4 occasions to date, most recently in November 2023.

The Scottish Aquaculture Council provided advice on the development of our Vision for Sustainable Aquaculture (July 2023), applicable to finfish, shellfish and seaweed sectors. The SAC expects to discuss the developing National Marine Plan at its next meeting.